


Crests and Blades

by ragtagvolunteer



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 18:50:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7450198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ragtagvolunteer/pseuds/ragtagvolunteer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link is a prince and Rhett slays a dragon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crests and Blades

Link anxiously waits at the edge of the door to his father's study. He spins the ring with the royal family's crest on his finger as he catches low murmurs from behind the closed door.

When the door creaks open, he leaps back as a familiar tall figure emerges.

"Hey."

Link stands still, eyes darting back and forth, searching his best friend's body from head to toe. He catches each scrape, each patch of bruised skin - eyebrows furrowing with every mark. It's the first time he's seen Rhett in over a month - the longest time they've ever spent apart since they've known each other. Rhett's only just returned this morning, but most of his time was occupied by the court's healer to assess his wounds, the council for a recap of the events, and his father. Link had to patiently (and not so patiently) wait for his reunion with his best friend.

Now that Rhett is standing in front of him, breathing - _alive_ \- the built-up stress and boiling emotions get the better of him. He swiftly turns away and begins to storm off. He's not quite sure where he's heading, but his legs are taking control, steering him quickly out of the narrow hall.

"Link, wait! Come on," yells Rhett's voice from behind him.

Link doesn't bother turning around, the blood in his ears still ringing too loud to hear whatever else Rhett's shouting.

It doesn't take long for Rhett's long legs to catch up to Link in a quiet corner of the castle. The familiar large hand grabs at Link's arm and pulls him back, spinning him around with greater force than he means to, causing the two to collide in to each other.

"Sorry," Rhett mumbles, both hands now holding on to Link's shoulders as he helps his friend regain his balance.

Link swings his arms away from Rhett's grasp, pushing his glasses up higher. He regains his posture and does everything to avoid Rhett's gaze.

Rhett sighs. "Okay, you win. You're clearly upset and - "

"Upset?" Link says. His clenched fists start waving around. "Upset? You think I'm upset? No, Rhett. I'm _furious_. I'm not upset - I'm mad."

Link risks a glance up and sees the regret on Rhett's face. He takes Rhett's silence as a cue to continue. "You've been gone for over a month. You - you didn't even tell me that you were going! You left with no warning and - " The words begin flowing without reason. "You promised - you promised you wouldn't go fight that dragon! We talked about it and how stupid and dangerous and risky and - did I mention how _stupid_ it was?" Link sees Rhett's hand fidget with the hilt of his sword (he pretends not to notice the dents and scrapes of the metal that match Rhett's hand). "You left me. You go off and do stupid things and you actually left me without a word. And then you come marching back in and I've had to wait all day to see you and..."

He hears Rhett sigh as he takes a breath.

"You promised."

"I did," Rhett replies, voice low and defeated.

Link looks up again, shoulders dropping as he sees the sadness in his friend's eyes. "And you promised me that if you were ever going to go do something so idiotic, we'd at least go together," he mutters. He shakes his head. "I should have been there with you."

"Link...I - I'm sorry. I truly am sorry." Rhett takes a deep breath and reaches for Link's shoulders again. "Hey look. I'm fine though. See? Head, body, arms, and legs. Ten fingers, ten toes. Half a brain - more than what I started with," Rhett jokes, crouching down to meet Link's eyes.

Now that he's a bit closer, Link catches the start of a new red scar etched at the base of Rhett's neck. An image of Rhett covered in his own blood flashes in Link's mind.

"Why'd you go alone, Rhett?" he asks in a low whisper. It's what he's meant to ask from the beginning - from the moment he found out his best friend left his side. "I could - _would_ \- have gone with you. We could have done it together."

Rhett's lips purse slightly as his eyes move toward his feet. Link recognizes that familiar look. 

"You're keeping something from me."

Rhett's hands drop from Link's shoulders as he straightens up uncomfortably.

"Rhett, just tell me. What's going on?"

Rhett's eyes grow bigger. "This is not how I envisioned this to go," he starts. His hands start waving around. "You were supposed to be excited to see me again, be proud of me for this really crazy and huge thing I've done. I mean - I conquered a dragon! It's not every day man gets to tame a mythical beast!" Rhett starts shuffling a little bit. "And you were supposed to be...impressed or at least, I don't know, in awe of what I've accomplished? Brother, it was not easy, I'll tell you that right now."

Link's staring at Rhett, confusion growing with every word. His head tilts. "You're making no sense."

Rhett only continues. "I'm supposed to be this big hero! You're supposed to think I'm a hero! Everyone else thinks so - the villagers, the court - even the King! Granted, I don't think he thought I'd be coming back in one piece when he asked me to go - "

"The King?" Link says. "You mean my father asked you to go tame the dragon?"

Suddenly, Rhett turns to Link again. "You were supposed to think I was a big hero and then..." He clasps his hands in front of him as if he's made a decision. "Yes. The King approached me with the task. I said I'd do it. And it was done."

"But - why? Why did my father ask you to go? Why not me? Why...why would you agree to something so stupid?"

And finally - Link sees Rhett smile.

"The King said if I succeeded, I could have anything I wanted."

"What?" Link's fingertips start to tingle. "What could you possibly want that you'd risk your life for? That you'd risk..."

 _Our friendship, everything we've ever done, all of us - me_ , he means to say.

He shakes his head. "What did you want so badly, Rhett?"

Rhett's smile grows bigger as he gently takes Link's hand. "What I've always wanted - what I've always known," he states. "We've been together since we were six. We've been together even when...we haven't been together," he continues. "I just - I want to be together with you forever. That's what I want."

He stills, a breath caught in his throat. "Me? You - you asked my father...for me?"

"The King would have never allowed a woodworker as a suitor for his only son. I mean, you are the heir to the entire kingdom," Rhett says with a shrug. "He's always only tolerated me because we've been friends since we were children, but...I have no royal connections. Nothing to offer. I'm just a woodworker. He'd never accept a simple carpenter as a your husband. You know that."

Link's eyes grow wide (and his heart starts beating loud enough for the entire castle to hear).

Rhett's eyes flutter suddenly. "I mean, that is...if you want to...with me. I just thought...well, we've been Rhett and Link for so long and...I'm not quite sure what I'd be without you. And to be honest with you - " Rhett laughs suddenly, a nervousness edging in his voice. "Every time I see you talking with one of those princesses or princes from other kingdoms, I end up wanting to saw them in half."

Link remains as still as a statue. His growing silence worries Rhett.

"But...but I wouldn't force you or anything, Link. You know that. I...I want you to be happy. Even if that means it's with someone...who isn't...me," he stammers, forcing the words. "I just thought - well, sometimes when you look at me as if you...I thought...I thought maybe you felt the same."

Rhett's hand slowly begins to shake loose away from Link's when the prince finally comes to his senses.

He grabs Rhett's hand and pulls the tall familiar body close to his, burying his head in Rhett's chest. Link smiles against Rhett, holding his ear right above Rhett's heart. He feels Rhett's arms wrap around him tight.

It feels right.

"Yeah, okay," Link says.

"Okay?" Rhett asks. 

Link can only nod. He feels Rhett's lips kiss his head. He looks up then and sees a light shine to Rhett's eyes.

"But I'm still pretty furious at you for being such an idiot and doing stupid things by your stupid self and - "

"Whoa whoa, I battle a dragon for you and this is how you thank me?" Rhett replies with a laugh. "Fine. Next time, we go together."

Link punches Rhett in the shoulder. "There will be no next time. I'm locking you here. Safe. Inside the castle. Until we're old and gray."

He expects Rhett to whine and protest, but instead, Rhett just grins widely and shrugs. 

"Sure. As long as it's with you."

Suddenly, Link reaches down to the ring on his finger. He takes Rhett's hand and places the jeweled family crest on his pinky (finds that it fits perfectly).

"There," he says. He looks up and Rhett and finds an expression he's never seen before. Link smiles. "C'mon, stupid. It's you and me now. Let's go."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
